Catalonia votes ‘no’

MADRID — Catalonia, the north-eastern region in Spain, held a regional election on Sunday. Its legal purpose was to elect a regional assembly that should elect a new regional government. But the outgoing president and his political mates decided this would not be the real purpose of the vote. It would actually be a vote on the region’s independence from Spain.

To achieve that goal, he decided not to run on the usual party list but, rather, set up a coalition between his party, Convergencia — a center-right party that has held power for 27 out of the last 35 years of regional government — and Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), a diehard left-wing pro-independence party. The coalition was named Junts pel Si — “Together for Yes” (to independence). And they announced that the election wouldn’t just be a regional election, but rather a plebiscite — an illegal one, by every measure — on independence.

* * *

In the outgoing parliament, the sum of both parties added up to 71 seats, the figure for an overall majority being 68. For this election they brought into their coalition various groups of citizens who favor a breakaway from Spain. So the coalition looked set to attain an outstanding majority in favor of that goal. The result was not such. They got 62 seats. Nine seats less than they had before they set up the coalition for independence. And they have the chutzpah to call that a huge success.

It is true that if they add to their mix the party that came in fifth, Candidatura d’Unitat Popular (CUP), an extreme left-wing party that got 10 seats, they will have an outright majority in favor of independence, even though the three parties involved now have fewer seats than they had in the outgoing assembly. But has anyone ever heard of a plebiscite whose result is decided not on an enumeration of people’s votes, but on a count of members of parliament?

The pro-independence parties don’t want the actual votes counted toward the purpose of a unilateral breakaway, and that’s understandable. They only got 47.32 percent of the vote, against the 52.01 percent that went to parties that had clearly stated their opposition to independence.

It can be said without doubt that if those who called the election want to claim it was a plebiscite, they have a clear answer: Catalonia voted “no.” Furthermore, out of the people who had the right to vote — the total electorate, in other words — only 30 percent voted for the parties who were calling for independence from Spain.

* * *

There is another reading to this result, and that is that the problem of secession in Spain probably just got bigger. Nationalist parties have one main reason for their existence: confrontation, or a search for someone who can be defined as “the enemy.” When these parties run their business within a country in which they feel they are aliens, it’s very easy to play politics. They can always blame the central power, the national government, for their problems. They will make a living out of asking for bigger and more outlandish concessions from the national government.

Ever since General Franco died in 1975 and the regional institutions of Catalonia were established, the only goal the Catalan people have seen their parties promote has been “what can we get Madrid to give us.”

Catalonia today is a region with more powers than any federal state in the world. Any comparison with the Free State of Bavaria or the California Republic will prove that Catalonia has a bigger grip on power than them in any area of life and governance. So, when people say more dialogue is needed, and that a different way must be found to better fit Catalonia in Spain, the reply should be that such a way can’t be found with parties that reside in a cul-de-sac.

Many Catalans have demonstrated a xenophobic attitude toward the rest of Spain. They want to be regarded as different, a people apart, and this isn’t possible if they only have a regional government like 16 other regions in Spain. They don’t want to be just another region in this Spanish lot. They have to be above the rest. But in a democracy it’s very difficult to have first- and second-class citizens.

* * *

Over the years Artur Mas, the current president of the Generalitat of Catalonia, has led the region into clashes with the rest of Spain and the rest of Europe. We have seen all relevant EU leaders proclaiming their support for a united Spain and threatening Catalonia with exclusion from EU institutions.

When leaders like Juncker, Hollande, Merkel and Cameron look at what was brewing in Catalonia, they can easily imagine what may happen with Scotland, Bavaria or Corsica if they leave an open door for those who broke away from an EU member state. It is a well known fact that no new members are admitted into the EU without unanimous acceptance. Which would, of course, exclude Catalonia for decades to come. It would be unimaginable to think of Spain voting in favor of its breakaway region rejoining the club.

But even though the No vote won the day in Catalonia on September 27, this is still a major crisis for Spain. The pro-independence parties want more concessions from the central government and there is nothing left to give short of independence itself.

The only reason some Catalans have to demand secession is that they are unhappy within their current borders. That is to say, they are the only people who see any borders within the EU. And that’s because they have mental borders, not physical ones. And having been led into such state of blindness that they haven’t realized the real borders will be set up by secession, not their current status as citizens of Spain, a major country within the European Union.

Ramón Pérez-Maura is editor at large of ABC, the Spanish daily.

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Bobby

“52.01 percent that went to parties that had clearly stated their opposition to independence” is as bare-faced a lie as it is possible to imagine. Catalunya Si Que Es Pot gained 9% of the vote, and is explicitly in favour of a binding referendum. They were not in favour of a unilateral declaration, which is why they were not part of Junts Pel Si, but they plainly did not “clearly state their opposition to independence”, they simply preferred a different route to it. Unió takes a similar view, and they received 2.5% (although with admittedly a more ambiguous stance.) That is 58-60% right there.

Even many voters of PSC (which was indeed explicitly against secession) want a referendum, with some likely to vote yes, and some no. PSC’s policy is for a move to a federalist structure, with significantly greater autonomy.

What this means is that the point of view expressed by Mr Pérez-Maura, to maintain the status quo or in fact roll back autonomy in further recentralisation, has the support of just the rightwing Spanish nationalist parties PP and C’s. A total of 26%. So 60% explicitly support a binding independence referendum, 13% want significantly greater autonomy, and 25% want the status quo. Yet Mr Pérez-Maura claims that the status quo won, and the support for his model of Spain is what the people of Catalonia showed that they wanted.

Posted on 9/28/15 | 6:30 PM CET

Andrej Němec

By stating that Catalans have “mental borders” Mr. Pérez-Maura has insulted a whole nation. One one side he neglects the evidence (72 seats are the absolute majority no matter the number of voters – and by the way 52,68 % is just the percentage of voters who didn’t vote for independentist parties and it includes the parties like CSQEP which have abstained) and wants to keep Catalans in Spain (to keep benefitting from 1/5 of the current Spanish GDP) and on the other side he even dares to insult them for having expressed their will. If I were Catalan after having read his article I would feel even more motivated (by all means) to leave Spain to its destiny together with its fascist opinion writers like Mr. Pérez-Maura!

Posted on 9/28/15 | 6:48 PM CET

Jordi Sàlvia

Perez Maura has mental borders.

Posted on 9/28/15 | 7:07 PM CET

Jordi Sàlvia

Cargol Treubanya

Of all the Spanish writers and newspapers you decided to use Mr Pérez-Maura biased and prejudiced article in your cover page. I have been disappointed to see how Politico.eu is misleading its readers with opinions of this kind without contrasting any views or information given. I would highly recommend reading Jan Marot’s piece (also in Politico), which is a lot closer to reality.

But there is one lesson from this mistake. Repeatedly, pro-independent and pro-federalist sides have been raising concerns towards Madrid’s journalists noting their lack of understanding and even willingness to learn what is really happening in Catalonia. Some Spanish newspapers have repeatedly been accused of lack of objectivity and rigour. The article here clearly provides a good example of this. The readers will draw their own conclusions when they read the ABC’s reporter accusing the Catalans of “xenophobic attitude”, “confrontation”, and wanting “more concessions” and they will feel pity for his lack of travelling, naïf curiosity and interest in learning the truth of news happening in different places of the world. Because such claims are simply incoherent with what the Catalans are asking for. The Catalans are not xenophobes, they do not seek confrontation, nor they want more concessions. They simply want one thing: to rule themselves. And this is not coherent with Mr Pérez-Maura’s accusations because you cannot be confrontational and wanting more concessions if you are independent.

Mr Pérez-Maura, wake up to reality, go and ask, enquire, discover the truth, stop sleeping, stop dreaming because “dreams themselves are only dreams”.

Posted on 9/28/15 | 7:22 PM CET

Francisco

Catalonia’s separatists dislike what Mr Pérez Maura says. But it is the plain truth.
Those advocating Catalonia’s independence are simply looking for ways not to contribute to the national welfare of Spain. Propeller, not regions, pay taxes. And these people don’t want their taxes to finance public services and investments in poorer regions of Spain. Truth is, every time a major investment is announced, they complain. As of only Catalonia should receive investments, or as if Catalonian interests were neglected by Spain. Or, even, as of only Catalonia paid taxes or wa in any way better or smarter than anyone else.
Foreigners interested in Catalan issues are well advised to pay attention to this narrow minded, petty nationalism which wishes to erect new borders in a Europe which should be contemplating more integration

Posted on 9/28/15 | 7:43 PM CET

Dries

Andrej Němec

Just to address Mr.Francisco the brave comment.

1) Borders in Europe evolved and changed across history and history itself is evolving with the 4th dimension: Time. Portugal used to form one Country together with Spain at some point in history. And I am sure that even Mr. Francisco wouldn’t dare to say that Portugal doesn’t today exist as a separate Nation and Country (2 very different concepts by the way)

2) Everyone’s free to decide to whom pay his own taxes. I doubt that if France would now start claims on Spanish territory (Spain was French under Napoleon’s rule) people in Madrid would just start filing their tax returns to Paris without protesting.

3) If he agrees with the author on the “mental borders” of the Catalans he’s also insulting them all, and this is a fascist consideration.

Posted on 9/28/15 | 8:35 PM CET

Javier

It is such a shame that the only two journalists POLITICO has chosen for writing about yesterday election’s results are so terribly biased on their stories. I would have expected something better from Politico, closer to The Guardian, Le Monde or NYT. The reality on this issue is very complex and it’s deeply related with the european integration and many other global issues, so it’s a relevant content for your readers.
I’m pretty sure many scholars, (I’m thinking on Allen Buchanan, but there are many others) could have written much better pieces than the ones you’ve published. Many people from Spanish and Catalan academia (From Araceli Mangas to Quim Brugue, and many others, more or less closer to unionist or pro-self-determination points of view, but well-informed) could have given also a complete perspective on the issue.

I have nothing to add on the many mistakes and oblivions already pointed on twitter about Jan Marot’s piece, which was terribly bad. On Mr. Pérez-Maura… well, he is an openly right-wing biased journalist and it’s obvious while you are reading the text how dishonest it’s his piece.

I hope Politico can make it better than this time for next occasions.

Posted on 9/28/15 | 8:45 PM CET

Marc Guitart

Totally biased article, based in incorrections if not lies. How can Politico publish such a non-professional text? I will unfollow you. Sorry. This is not serious.

Posted on 9/28/15 | 9:04 PM CET

Gert

Well, if the author of this opinion piece and other ‘nationalists’ favoring the concepts of the old European nation-state, where the borders were drawn against the will of the populations and on often terrible ways, assume that a majority voted against secession, why don’t they allow a real democratic referendum? Indicating that your constitution does not allow it and requires the territory to be kept unchanged, which almost all countries have in their constitution (but it never seems to be a problem if the territory increases), is only an irrelevant and cowardly answer.
Threatening to exclude people who have been subjected to foreign occupation for so long to not accepting them as part of the EU is not only very undemocratic, but does show exactly the kind of mental borders this author complains about.
Let’s make the EU a real democratic system, where peoples and regions that where historically and culturally an entity can still live that entity, combined in one EU. Let’s do away with those nation-states, generated in last centuries in ways you probably don’t want to defend, and move towards an EU of free people and regions of Bavaria, Saxony, Scotland, Wales, Catalonia, Andalusia, etc.

Posted on 9/28/15 | 11:44 PM CET

Clara

This article is disgusting. This is completely false: “Many Catalans have demonstrated a xenophobic attitude toward the rest of Spain.”

Posted on 9/29/15 | 8:44 AM CET

Joanitu

I am surprised Politico chose someone from ABC to write an opinion article. ABC is a very biased source of information, which, in my opinion, does a poor job as a communications outlet. It is regarded by many in Spain as so biased that it can even get funny at times. Bad choice guys. You you should make sure you understand the Spanish media better next time.

Posted on 9/29/15 | 11:27 AM CET

Vicent Patuel

Artur Mas is a serial liar (and a magnificient propagandist, I admit)

The real backstory in Catalonia is that this is a territory inhabited
by two peoples: Catalonians and Charnegos. On 9N, only Catalonians
went to vote, namely 25% of the voters. Charnegos simply ignored a poll
that was a farce with no garantee whatsoever.

The fact of the matter is that Catalonians have been oppressing Charnegos
for over 35 years. We are a Spanish-speaking people, but we don’t have
any formal recognition of our culture, language and national identity.

Artur Mas wants the Spanish government to listen, but he will not listen
to the Charnego people.

I want school in Spanish for my little daughter. Are you going to listen
Mr Mas?

I want bilingual street signs. Are you going to listen, Mr Mas?

I want to end the only-Catalonian linguistic police. Are you going to
listen Mr Mas?

I want cultural autonomy for the Spanish-speaking writers and authors.
Are you going to listen, Mr Mas?

No, Mr Mas is not going to listen. He only listens to the 25% of voters
that are on the Generalitat’s gravy train (with Spanish money, btw)

The only acceptable solution in Catalonia is a power-sharing agreement
between Catalonians and Charnegos like in Ulster, but that the mere
possibility of giving any voice to Charnegos is something that makes
every anti-Spanish separatist in Catalonia cringe in horror.

Posted on 9/29/15 | 12:15 PM CET

Julia

This article is so far from reality and so biased that it is even funny. Well done Ramón Pérez-Maura, keep living in your world.

Really disappointed with Politico for trusting this kind of nonsense articles

Posted on 9/30/15 | 12:18 AM CET

Jared

This article is signed by the editor at large of ABC, a newspaper strongly opposed to Catalan independence. It’s an extremely biased article.

Also, it’s blatantly false that 52.01% voted ‘NO’. That number is including CSQEP and Unió, parties that didn’t define their position, but want a consultation for independence. Many people in their ranks are for independence.

Posted on 10/2/15 | 3:45 PM CET

joan

This article is so wrong, that is not even funny.

Posted on 10/2/15 | 7:36 PM CET

André López

“Many Catalans have demonstrated a xenophobic attitude toward the rest of Spain”, Mr. Pérez-Maura, you are simply a liar.

Posted on 10/3/15 | 10:48 AM CET

Puta Ramon Perez-Maura

Ramon, you are the typical Spaniard the world hates. Full of lies, dishonesty, biases, prejudices, etc. The world is seeing through Spain’s tyrannical approach to both the Catalan and Gibraltar situations. Keep it up and every person in the Basque Country, Occitania, and Gibraltar will rape your ass. Now go suck on Franco’s dead dick you cocksucking whore of a puta.